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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. track — a path
  3. net — in sport
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. net — after costs
  6. track — a song
  7. object — an aim
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. key — the most important part
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. net — for catching
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. present — a gift
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. key — in music
  20. present — the time now
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. track — to keep track
  23. key — for a lock
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com